The NBA released the starting lineups for the All-Star Game today, and the fans have spoken: centers just aren’t cool anymore. The tallest player on either side is probably Kevin Durant, who has center height and length, but is most definitely not a center. Still, at least the Western Conference has a few players taller than 6’8″ (Durant, Blake Griffin, Kevin Love) — something the Eastern Conference can’t claim. Because the ballot is broken up into front court and back court (rather than guard-forward-center), the East is trotting out a front line of LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and Paul George.
That’s not even small ball. That’s practically midget ball.
Rounding out the West is Kobe Bryant, who was voted in as a starter, even though he’s missed almost every game this season. He won’t be back by All-Star Weekend, thus, he won’t be suiting up next to his back court mate Stephen Curry, who is not only making his first All-Star Game start, but his first All-Star Game appearance (remember, the West has been stacked with Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, Tony Parker, etc. since he came into the league).
The Eastern Conference guards are Kyrie Irving and Dwyane Wade, because anyone else people would have voted for — Derrick Rose, Rajon Rondo — is actually injured (unlike Wade, who just sits out half of Miami’s games).
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